Introduction
You’ve decided to install solar panels on your home in the ACT – great choice! But before your system can start generating clean energy, it needs to be properly connected to the electricity network. If you’re in the ACT, Evoenergy is your electricity distributor, and they play a crucial role in approving and connecting your solar system.
Many homeowners are surprised by the approval process and wonder: Why do I need permission from the electricity distributor? What happens during the application? Why can’t I turn on my system right away? This guide explains the entire process from application to connection, helping you understand each step along the way.
Why Approval from Evoenergy is Required
When you install solar panels, you’re not just adding a new appliance to your home – you’re becoming a small electricity generator that will interact with the broader electricity network. This interaction needs to be carefully managed for several reasons:
- Safety: Improperly connected systems can create safety hazards for you, your neighbours, and network maintenance workers.
- Grid stability: The electricity grid needs to maintain stable voltage and frequency. Too many unregulated solar systems could destabilise the network.
- Capacity management: Local networks have physical limits to how much electricity they can handle.
- Quality of supply: Solar systems can affect power quality for you and your neighbours if not properly configured.
This is why Evoenergy, as the organisation responsible for the ACT’s electricity distribution network, needs to assess and approve all solar installations before they can be connected.
Types of Solar Installations
Evoenergy categorises solar systems based on their size and complexity:
- Small Embedded Generation: Systems up to 20kVA for single-phase connections and up to 60kVA for three-phase connections. Most residential systems fall into this category.
- Low Voltage Embedded Generation: Larger systems connected to the low voltage network.
- High Voltage Embedded Generation: Very large systems that connect directly to the high voltage network.
For most homeowners, your system will be classified as “Small Embedded Generation,” which follows a simpler approval process.
The Application Process
Step 1: Special Connection Request (SCR)
Your solar installer will submit what’s called a Special Connection Request (SCR) to Evoenergy on your behalf. This is done through Evoenergy’s Distributed Energy Resources (DER) portal – an online platform where installers can submit and track applications.
The SCR includes:
- Your property details and NMI (National Meter Identifier) number
- System specifications (inverter and panel models, capacity)
- Single Line Diagram (SLD) showing how the system will be connected
- Details about your existing electrical setup
What is a Single Line Diagram?
This is a technical drawing that shows how your solar system will connect to your home’s electrical system and to the grid. It includes inverters, panels, meters, switches, and how power will flow. Think of it as the “blueprint” for your solar installation.
Step 2: Assessment by Evoenergy
Once submitted, Evoenergy reviews your application to ensure it meets their technical requirements. They assess:
- System size: Is it appropriate for your connection type (single or three-phase)?
- Export limits: How much power your system can send back to the grid
- Network capacity: Can the local network handle the additional generation?
- Technical compliance: Does the proposed system meet safety and performance standards?
For small systems, Evoenergy aims to provide an initial response within 10 business days. For larger systems, the process takes longer and may involve more detailed technical studies.
Technical Requirements and Export Limits
System Capacity vs. Export Capacity
There’s an important distinction between how big your solar system can be and how much power it can export to the grid:
- System capacity is the total size of your solar system measured in kilowatts (kW) or kilovolt-amperes (kVA).
- Export capacity is how much excess power you can send back to the grid at any time.
Evoenergy may approve a larger system capacity than export capacity. For example, you might be allowed a 10kVA system but only permitted to export 5kVA back to the grid.
Export Limits
Evoenergy sets export limits based on the network’s capacity in your area:
- Single-phase connections: 5kVA export limit
- Three-phase connections: 15kVA export limit (5kVA per phase) or 10kVA aggregate across all phases
These limits help prevent network overloading and maintain power quality for all customers. Your installer will need to configure your inverter or install an export limiting device to enforce these limits.
Metering Requirements
Why You Need a Meter Upgrade
Most existing electricity meters can only measure electricity flowing one way – from the grid to your home. With solar, electricity can flow in both directions. This requires a bi-directional meter that can measure:
- Electricity imported from the grid (when you’re using more than you’re generating)
- Electricity exported to the grid (when you’re generating more than you’re using)
Types of Metering
There are two main approaches to metering solar:
- Net metering: A single meter measures the net electricity flow. If you’re consuming more than generating, it records consumption. If you’re generating more than consuming, it records export. This is the most common arrangement.
- Gross metering: Uses separate meters to record all generation and all consumption separately. This is less common but might be used for certain feed-in tariff arrangements.
Who Handles the Meter Upgrade?
Your electricity retailer is responsible for organising the meter upgrade, not Evoenergy. Your solar installer will notify your retailer that you need a meter upgrade, and the retailer will arrange for a metering provider to install the new meter.
This can sometimes cause delays in the process, as you’re now dependent on a third party (the retailer and their metering provider) to complete the meter installation before your solar system can be fully operational.
Installation and Inspection
The Installation Process
Once Evoenergy approves your application, your installer can proceed with the physical installation. This typically involves:
- Mounting solar panels on your roof
- Installing the inverter and other equipment
- Connecting the system to your switchboard
- Installing any required export limiting devices
- Safety testing
However, the system cannot be switched on or connected to the grid until further steps are completed.
ACT Government Electrical Inspection
In the ACT, all electrical work, including solar installations, must be inspected by the ACT Government Electrical Inspectorate. Your installer will arrange this by submitting a Certificate of Electrical Safety (CES).
The inspector checks that the installation complies with electrical safety standards. If approved, they’ll place an approval sticker in your meter box.
Commissioning and Final Approval
Submitting Commissioning Data
After installation and inspection, your installer must submit commissioning data to Evoenergy through the DER portal. This includes:
- Installation date
- Serial numbers of inverters
- Voltage readings
- Phase connections
- Certificate of Electrical Safety
- Photos of the installation
This data confirms that the installed system matches what was approved and meets all requirements.
Why You Can't Turn On Your System Yet
It’s important to understand that even after physical installation, your solar system cannot be activated until:
- Evoenergy has received and accepted the commissioning data
- Your new bi-directional meter has been installed
- Final approval has been given
This can be frustrating, but these steps ensure your system is safe, compliant, and properly integrated with the electricity network.
After Connection
Ongoing Requirements
Once your system is operational, you have ongoing responsibilities:
- Maintaining the system in a safe condition
- Not modifying the system without Evoenergy’s approval
- Periodic verification testing (every 5 years)
- Ensuring the system remains compliant with standards
System Modifications
If you want to modify your system later (adding panels, upgrading inverters, adding batteries), you’ll need to submit a new SCR application to Evoenergy. Even replacing a faulty inverter requires notification and approval.
Common Questions
How long does the whole process take?
From application to connection, the process typically takes 3-6 weeks for small residential systems. Delays can occur at various stages, particularly during the meter upgrade.
Who handles what in the process?
- Your solar installer: Submits the application, installs the system, arranges inspection
- Evoenergy: Assesses and approves the connection request
- ACT Electrical Inspectorate: Inspects the installation for safety compliance
- Your electricity retailer: Arranges the meter upgrade
Can I install a larger system than what's approved?
No. Installing a system that exceeds the approved capacity violates your connection agreement and could result in Evoenergy requiring you to disconnect your system.
What about adding batteries later?
Battery storage systems (ESS) require separate approval, even if added to an existing solar system. They’re considered in your total system capacity calculations.
Conclusion
Understanding the solar connection process helps set realistic expectations and ensures a smoother installation experience. While it may seem complex, each step serves an important purpose in maintaining a safe, reliable electricity network.
Your solar installer should guide you through this process, but being informed helps you ask the right questions and understand what’s happening at each stage. By following these steps and meeting Evoenergy’s requirements, you’ll soon be generating clean, renewable energy and enjoying the benefits of solar power.
Remember that while this guide reflects current requirements as of 2025, standards and processes may change over time. Always check with your installer or Evoenergy for the most up-to-date information.
